Role model Chloe is up for award

A teenager who blogs about life with cerebral palsy has been nominated for the National Diversity Awards.

Chloe Tear, 18, from Otley has been shortlisted in the positive role model in the disability category.

The Prince Henry’s Grammar School student has been blogging for three years about her experiences with the condition.

Assistant head girl Chloe said: “I am the creator of ‘Life as a Cerebral Palsy student’ blog. It currently has just over 13,000 views. It has been so nice to connect with so many people through this blog and find so many friends who can relate.

“I talk about a range of topics to do with disability and what it is really like as a teenager.”

She has also worked with Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland to raise issues in parliament about tackling disability hate crime.

Chloe is one of the head ambassadors for support group CP Teens UK and has blogged for Scope about “why I both love and hate my disability”.

She said: “I believe that it is fundamental to speak truthfully about having a disability so that the awareness that is spread is both truthful and informative. The support which can come from that will never stop being important.”

Last year she worked with American author Anne Eliot to write a series of books, How I Fall and How I Fly. The main character has mild cerebral palsy like Chloe. She said: “I had the opportunity to help make the book a truthful representation which could not only spread awareness but give reassurance to others facing the same challenges in life.”

The National Diversity Awards take place in Liverpool in September. You can vote for Chloe by going to www.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk and by typing Chloe Tear into the nomination section.